Defense chief won't heed to calls for Arroyo Cabinet

By Ronron
February 18, 2008

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. said Monday that he will not resign from the Arroyo government as requested by former high-ranking government officials on Sunday.

"Why should I resign? … The President has not ordered me to do anything illegal, immoral. I have not seen her order anybody to do anything illegal or immoral. So why should I resign?" Teodoro told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo.

In a news conference on Sunday after a mass at La Salle Greenhills in support of Rodolfo Lozada, Jr. who testified on the alleged irregular awarding last of the National Broadband Network (NBN) project to China's ZTE Corporation, more than 50 former government officials, including those from the Arroyo government, called on incumbent members of the Arroyo Cabinet to disclose their knowledge about irregularities in the current administration.

The former government officials was led by former Philippine Ambassador to the United States Albert del Rosario.

Asked what he wanted to tell the group of del Rosario, Teodoro said: "You know, it's useless for me to tell them anything or not. That's just my position on the matter."

But Teodoro said the current protest actions and calls for the resignation or ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are not matters of concern, saying these are "normal political events or activities on the part of the opposition."

He expressed confidence that the military will not be swayed into joining any of the current activities that are political in nature.

"I'm convinced of the integrity of the Armed Forces behind the Constitution and the chain of command… In terms of the potential for dividing the Armed Forces, I think that's remote," Teodoro said.

Thousands have since taken the streets since Friday to support Lozada and reiterate calls for Arroyo's ouster for allegedly tolerating or engaging in corruption and other forms of irregularlity./DMS